Maastricht[29] is the southernmost city in the Netherlands, and is the capital of the province of Limburg. Situated on the Maas river, within walking distance of Belgium and cycling distance of Germany, it claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands (a claim it shares with Nijmegen). A great place to spend some time, it contains some magnificent buildings and culture, taking the form of plenty of old houses and buildings, lovely cathedrals and a spectacularly cobblestoned town centre. The city is also well known for its fine cuisine, excellent shops and multicultural atmosphere.

Maastricht is an especially popular tourist destination in the Netherlands because of its historical old center and broad shopping possibilities. The city is home to approximately 120,000 people. The University of Maastricht attracts many national and foreign students to the city. Geographically, the city is split in half by a major river (the Maas), with the majority of commercial activity being concentrated on the Western bank of the river, and the train station and the Bonnefanten Museum on the Eastern side.

The VVV [30] is a branch office of the Dutch national tourist agency. The office offers maps, souvenirs, and local, regional, and national travel suggestions. They can be located in Maastricht at Kleine Staat 1, in the city center.

For information about all (cultural) events in Maastricht, try to find a copy of the Week in Week uit[31]. They are distributed all around the city. Also visit Crossroads[32], a webzine in English for expatriates in Maastricht.

Maybe even more than in other parts of the Netherlands, people know how to speak foreign languages. So don't worry if you don't speak Dutch, many Maastrichtenaars are happy to converse with you in English, German or even French.

Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport [38] is the biggest airport for the Netherlands, and is the entry point for most air-borne travellers. Schiphol is approximately 3 hours from Maastricht by train.

Eindhoven - Eindhoven Airport [39] is about an hour and a half from Maastricht, and mainly serves discount and charter airlines.

Rotterdam - Rotterdam Airport [40] is another Dutch airport, located about 2.5 hours from Maastricht.

Due to Maastricht's proximity to the Belgian border, some visitors prefer to use Belgian airports:

Brussels - Brussels Airport [41], another Belgian airport, is the second largest airport (after Schiphol) within 2 hours distance of Maastricht, and is another decent option for arriving by plane. A journey to Brussels is slightly under 2 hours by train, which to some people makes the airport a more attractive option than Schiphol.

Charleroi - Brussels South Charleroi Airport [42] is Brussels' second major airport, also within train distance to Maastricht, and mainly caters to discount airlines (notably Ryanair).

Liege Bierset - Liege Airport [43] is located in Belgium, about a half hour from Maastricht.

The nearby airports in Germany offer many connections to chose from as well:

Maastricht is well served by train, with train stations (Maastricht, near the centre of the city, and Maastricht Randwyck, in the south). There are two trains departing from Maastricht Station to the northern destinations every hour. Some popular destinations include:

There is an extensive rail system in the Netherlands. Travelling by train is generally a good experience in the Netherlands, although Dutch people will often complain that the trains are late and full. National train services are run by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) [47], and an elaborate timetable system including price information is available on their website. Prices for trips are determined by distance, with longer distances costing less per km than shorter ones. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office in the train station's main hall, but you can save yourself an extra service fee by buying your train ticket from a yellow-and-blue electronic ticketing machine (note that some machines only accept European pin passes/debit cards and only older machines accept coins). Wherever you plan to buy your ticket, make sure you buy it before boarding the train, as it is not possible to buy a ticket on-board and you'll risk a € 35,- fine (in addition to the ticket price). Tickets can be bought as either one way tickets, or as a same-day or same weekend return. If you plan to return in the course of a couple of days, you should simply buy two separate one way tickets.

Visitors who intend to travel a lot by train in the Netherlands may consider purchasing a Voordeelurenabonnement (Off Peak Discount Pass), which will set you back €55,- but entitles you and three fellow passengers to reduced-fare tickets (40% off the price). Reduced-fare tickets can be bought from the same ticket-vending machines. The card can be purchased from any NS Ticketing Office, although an address, phone number, and passport photo is required (you are initially issued a temporary paper card, which will be replaced by a plastic card about 3 months later).

An hourly service connects Maastricht with Liege, Belgium. Although the direct, high-speed connection no longer exists directly between Maastricht and Brussels, Belgium, you can catch an express train in Liege and take it to Brussels. From there you can switch trains to Paris and London.

Alternatively, Eurostar[48] can include travel to/from any Dutch station.

For further information on international train journeys, check timetables and train fares at the Belgian Railways[49], the French Railways[50], or Die Bahn (German Railways) [51] websites.

Bus 350 from Aachen serves Maastricht on an half-hourly basis all days. Generally, travellers pay €6,50 for a one-way ticket (Arriva, Limburg 350). An all-day ticket that allows travel on South Limburg bus routes, including those to local cities such as Heerlen, is now €7.00. Travel time is approximately one hour from Aachen.

Travelling by car can be painful in Maastricht, largely due to the fact that most of the city centre is pedestrian-only, and also due to the horrendous parking rates. It is often easier to park your car outside the town centre and either walk or bus into the city.

The city has a bus system called the Stadsbus ("City Bus") that travels over most of the city and to surrounding areas. Tickets can be bought on the bus, or you can buy an 'OV chip card'. It is a magnetic card which you can recharge with chosen amount of money (minimum € 5). This card costs € 7.50 and can be bought at the train station, also at the vending machine at the station or in the Arriva Transport service point (regional travel in and around Maastricht has been privatized, it was formerly Veolia and it is now Arriva). An Arriva Limburg app is available to download to smartphone, which will help you find which bus or local train to take to your desired destination.

When you enter the bus, you have to put the card close to the yellow card reader which will 'log you in' at the beginning stop. When you go out from the bus, you have to do it again to 'check out'. The amount of money for the trip wll be taken from your card. It is much cheaper than buying a ticket from the bus driver. 'Strippenkaart' is no longer valid in Maastricht.

Trains run four times per hour between Maastricht Centraal Station and Maastricht Randwyck station (at the South of the City), at a cost of €2.20. Trains also run to the surrounding satellite towns, such as Heerlen.

Due to the privatization of the local/regional bus and train services, there may be some confusion about tagging your travel ticket on and off at the platforms. Generally speaking, travel on intercity and long distance trains should be tagged on the bright yellow NS (Nederlands Spoorwegen) reader machines. Local trains (variously called sneltrein and stoptrein, for faster and all-stops services, respectively) should be tagged on the blue and white Arriva reader machines. An Arriva Limburg app is available to download to smartphone, which will help you find which bus or local train to take to your desired destination.

This is by far the most attractive option as it allows travellers to see the beautiful winding streets in the centre of the city, as well as experience the cultural melting pot that Maastricht's location allows. A particularly nice walk outside of the centre is along the river, from St Servaas Brug (The Stone Bridge near the entrance to the city) down to the JFK Bridge (near the bottom), which goes through Maastricht's largest park. Visitors can then cross the JFK bridge and go to Maastricht's modern art museum - the Bonnefanten (see below).

Maastricht Running Tours[54] offers guided city jogging tours in Maastricht or their green surroundings. During tours you get to see more and you do your work out at the same time. The Higlight tours is about 6km (1,5 hours). During several stops on the tour you get to hear the interesting stories behind the most interesting sights of the old historical center. The pace is very easy and adapted to the group.

There are thousands of bicycles in Maastricht, often the young gents giving their girlfriends a lift on the parcel carrier at the back, with the girls sitting "side saddle". A charming sight, and you can join in the bicycle culture very easily, there are several bicycle hire shops in Maastricht. At around €10 per day (2006 prices) you can explore the flat country of South Limburg. Dutch traffic law is heavily biased towards the cyclist, so you might find cars slowing down to let you pass when they are pulling in to a side street which you are about to cross - no sane car driver is going to cut you off since in the case of an accident the cyclist is always presumed innocent unless grossly negligent. Also while there are many one-way streets in Maastricht, almost all (if not all) of them have a cycle lane going the other way up the street. Very handy. I would dispute the previous reviewer's assertion that foot is the most attractive option, for me it has to be the bicycle.

Perhaps one of the best (free) sights of Maastricht is simply to admire the two town squares in the centre of the city; The Vrijthof, which features the massive St Servaas Church and St Jan's Cathedral; and The Markt, which features the Town Hall (Stadhuis) and on Wednesdays and Fridays, markets.

The Vrijthof regularly hosts large festivals at various times throughout the year, including autumn and winter festivals. The Carnival before Lent is an amazing occasion where (it seems) the whole city dresses up in costume and parties until the early hours. It really has to be seen to be believed, this is a North European Mardi Gras, hence colder and darker than its American cousin.

Bonnefantenmuseum, Avenue Céramique 250, ☎+31 (43) 329 01 90 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 329 01 99), [1]. Tue-Sun: 11.00 am - 5.00 pm; Mon: closed, except on public holidays. The museum is the foremost museum of Old Masters and contemporary art in the province of Limburg. The contemporary art collection contains works by an international group of artists, including Sol LeWitt. In addition to contemporary paintings, the collection also includes projections and gallery-sized installations. The collection of Old Masters emphasises on 16th and 17th century Flemish paintings, including major works by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. In addition, the collection comprises magnificent medieval sculptures by Jan van Steffenswert, early Italian paintings and a presentation of Maastricht silver.Adult: €7.50; child 13-18: €3.50; child under 13: free entry. edit

Derlon Museum Cellar, Plankstraat 21, ☎+31 (43) 325 21 21. Sun: 12.00 am - 4.00 pm. The museum is not wheelchair accessible. Before the restoration of the Derlon Hotel started, Maastricht's city archeologists undertook an extensive survey of the site. The Roman finds, from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th century, are considered so important that it was decided to conserve them and exhibit these to interested parties. The following can be seen in the cellar of Derlon Hotel: part of a 2nd and 3rd century square, a 3rd century well, part of a pre- Roman cobblestone road and sections of a wall and a gate dating from the 4th century.Free entry. edit

Natuurhistorisch Museum, De Bosquetplein 7, ☎+31 (43) 350 54 90 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 350 54 75), [2]. Mon-Fri: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm; Sat-Sun: 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm. The museum outlines the natural history of southern Limburg. Modern displays offer an insight into both the recent and distant past. Among the museum's highlights are the remains of enormous Mosasauriers and Giant Turtles found in marlstone at the St Pietersberg caverns. Fossils of all shapes and sizes show how South Limburg has changed in the course of the last 300 million years. Adult: €4.50; child 4-11: €3.00; child under 4: free entry. edit

Saint Pietersberg Caves (Grotten Sint-Pietersberg), Buitengoed Slavante, Slavante 1, ☎+31 (43) 325 21 21, [4]. Local marlstone mine with over 20,000 passages dug out over centuries, used as shelter during sieges and bombings. Tours essential; check website for details (English and Dutch times differ), here you can filter out tours in english. Boats runs from the city centre with commentary pointing out interesting landmarks along the way.edit

Kazematten, Tongerseplein, ☎+31 (43) 325 21 21, [5]. A network of bunkers on the west side of Maastricht from which soldiers fired at invaders; again, tours are essential.edit

The memorial to the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in front of the entrance to the Limburg Province government building.

In the Netherlands, the policy regarding soft drugs (such as weed, hash and magic mushrooms) is lenient. Therefore, there are several coffee- and headshops where you can buy these products. It is tolerated to buy up to 5 grams of marijuana. Make sure you bring your identification card or drivers license with you, because the shops are very strict about age and they will check it no matter how old you look. You have to be at least 18 years old to enter a coffee- or headshop.
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The coffeeshops in Maastricht have a lot (2.2 million annually!) of foreign customers, so they are able to understand Dutch, English, French and German. The Mississippi boat is the most popular with coffeeshop visitors from abroad. It is a coffee shop built in a large boat which lays in the Maas river and is certainly worth visiting. However it is regarded as having overpriced products and lower quality by locals and connoisseurs. Recommended are; Black Widow, a small coffeeshop located outside of the city center but having reasonable prices and good quality, Easy Going for its centrality and Heaven 69 for the open roof diner. Club 69, just around the corner of the Cool Running, is the oldest, smallest but most laid back one in town. For tourists other than Dutch, German or Belgian, there is a coffeeshop at Koestraat near the Beluga restaurant that is outside of the "union" and will serve you.

Visit the Uitbalie [60] in the Theater on the Vrijthof for (last minute) tickets to almost any cultural event. Pick up a Week in/Week uit with its weekly English agenda published by MaastrichtNet [61], or see what students are upto on wikimaas.org.

Find out more about life in Maastricht through Crossroads [62], a webzine for expatriates in Maastricht published by the European Journalism Centre [63].

Visit the European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) [64] This art fair is among the world's leading art fairs. Buyers from all over the world come and visit this fair.

Visit Intro in situ [65] which hosts many free concerts ranging from contemporary music to pop and jazz. Check the website for the agenda.

In Autumn 2007 a collective made an English Map of Maastricht, the Ekoplan, listing as much fair trade, organic (dutch: 'eko'), second hand and vegetarian initiatives in Maastricht they could find. The map is distributed on strategic spots in town (eg. Stayokay hostel), and available on-line [66]

Eating out in Maastricht is seldom cheap, with most sit-down dinner restaurants catering more to a posh older crowd rather than the student population. On weekdays, good and relatively low-priced sandwiches can be found at Deli Belge and Somethin' Good, both on Tongersestraat, close to the Economics and Law faculties of the Universiteit Maastricht. There are cheaper options to be found out if you are looking for something simple.

Kicken&eten, Tongersestraat 9, ☎043 321 46 09, [7]. This little place serves fine french cuisine for a reasonable price. The place has a relaxing atmosphere due to the owner who will make you feel like a king. On friday's you can find jazz musicians playing in the restaurant.€10-20. edit

Maastricht has many bars, restaurants, pubs and dance clubs, located on Vrijthof and Market Squares, and in the centre of downtown it's nearly impossible to walk around and not see anything to do. The small street Koestraat leading out of Onze Lieve Vrouwplein hides a few excellent wine/tapas bars and cozy smaller restaurants.

Maastricht is great for a night out (Maastricht is home to both a University & Institute). therefore, lots of students, also lots of foreign companies are based here so a mixture of international pubs & clubs can be found here.

Be sure to check out these places to go drink and have a good time: The Highlander, Falstaff, Twee Heeren, Metamorfoos, C'est La Vie, Take5, De Allabonneur, and especially the make!-bar. They all are very welcoming and have great music to dance to.

Maastricht is known for its yearly "Carnival," a tradition celebrated in many towns in the south of the Netherlands.

Cafe 't Pothuiske (Pothuiske), Het Bat 1 Maastricht, 6211 (Just east of the main square, near the River Maas), ☎+31 (0)433 21 60 02, [12]. Great place to grab a beer. Their weekly specials often have some pretty rare Belgian and Dutch brews. The outdoor seating's atmosphere is great and allows a view of the River Maas.edit

Via Mucca, Koestraat 17A, 6211 HR Maastricht. Purportedly the No.1 winebar in Maastricht. Great selection of many European wines available by the glass, wonderful gezelligheid inside.edit

Rumours, Koestraat 13, 6211 HR Maastricht. More of a cocktail bar that happens to serve dinner, small plates and wine selection by the glass. Slightly more pretentious atmosphere and fewer locals, but otherwise fine.edit

Cafe Nouveau, Koestraat 14-16, 6211 HR Maastricht. Well-kept secret. Been found out by locals and adventurous visitors, and occasionally by post-grads with some decent taste. Good wine and cheese combinations, by glass and platter, respectively. Excellent value.edit

Stayokay Maastricht, Maasboulevard 101, ☎+31 (43) 750 17 90 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 350 01 47), [13]. This hostel opened its doors on 5 April 2007 and offers 38 rooms. It has a deck looking over the Maas river and is a delightful place to have a beer in the evening. The hostel is clean, but as with many chain hostels, it does not have a kitchen and may lack atmosphere for those looking to meet other travellers. Prices start at €21 (breakfast included) for an overnight stay in a dormitory. edit

Botel Maastricht, Maasboulevard 95, ☎+31 (0)43 321 90 23 (fax: +31 (0)43 325 79 98), [14]. checkin: before 19:00. This hostel is located on a boat on the river Maas, next to the city center. Breakfast is optional during weekdays and obligatory on weekends.20-33 € per person, depending on room size and breakfast inclusion. (50,8453834,5,6970482)edit

Hotel Iban, Hertogsingel 28, ☎+31 433261316 ([email protected], fax: +31 433217922), [17]. Hotel Iban is a small hip 'boutique hotel' with 7 rooms. Every room has their own warm character and the atmosphere is very warm and personal. Within easy walkin distance of the restaurants, cafes and shopping centre you will find the hotel.edit

Bastion Hotel Maastricht, Boschstraat 27, ☎+31 (43) 321 22 22 (fax: +31 (43) 321 34 32), [18]. Bastion Hotel Maastricht is part of a Dutch chain of four star hotels at sub-four star prices. If you are used to the full four star service this will be a disappointment, but it is only a five minute walk into the city center of Maastricht and provides free wireless internet service.edit

Mabi City Centre Hotel, Kleine Gracht 24, ☎+31 43 351 44 44 ([email protected], fax: +31 43 351 44 55), [19]. The Mabi City Centre Hotel is located just off the market place. Little jars of sweets are everywhere in the public spaces.edit

NH Hotel Maastricht, Forum 110, ☎+31 (43) 383 82 81 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 361 58 62), [20]. The NH Hotel Maastricht is about a 25 minutes walk from the city center, but very convenient if you are attending a conference or fair in the Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre [21] next door. The hotel is comfortable enough, however, only the "deluxe" rooms really come up to the standards of other NH hotels. The standard rooms look tired by comparison, and some of them are quite noisy.edit

Hotel De Pauwenhof, Boschstraat 70, ☎+31 (43) 350 33 33 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 350 33 39), [22]. De Pauwenhof is a small hotel with a family run feel. It has recently been refurbished with air conditioning in all 15 rooms. There is no restaurant in the evening, but with all the eateries in central Maastricht within a few minutes walk, who really cares?edit

Design Hotel Eden, Stationsstraat 40, ☎+31 (43) 328 25 25 ([email protected], fax: +31 (43) 328 25 26), [23]. If you're bored of identi-kit hotel rooms then Design Hotel Eden will be a breath of fresh air. All the rooms are comfortably furnished in a variety of modern styles. You'll appreciate a philosophy that doesn't put a desk in your room so you can relax properly; and with the centre of Maastricht less than 5 minutes walk away that's easy to do.edit

Short Stay Apartments Jules & You, Bouillonstraat 12, ☎+31 621 502 463 ([email protected]), [24]. Jules & You can offer you a variety of well furnished and equipped self catering apartments in the center of Maastricht. All apartments have a living room, a kitchen and a private bathroom. They all come with wireless Internet and cable TV. Number of bedrooms varies between 1 and 4. Prices vary between € 25 and € 50 p.p.p.n. all-in. Ideal for families and (small) groups. A Jules and You apartment really is the ultimate basis from where of to experience exciting Maastricht. edit

World War II Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial: take the N278 9.5 kilometers (6 miles) east of Maastricht. The cemetery is located just west of the village of Margraten. Open daily except for December 25 and January 1; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cemetery is the final resting place for 8,301 American military dead. A monument is inscribed with the names of 1,723 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The site contains a chapel and museum with three engraved operations maps describing the European Campaign.

Caves in the Sint Pietersberg: Although the limestome caves are actually mines, it is nice to take a guided tour through the belly of the berg. In the Second World War, the Dutch stored their national arts collections in a vault in the hill, and a lot of engravings - some more old than the other - are to be admired. Entrances lie at several places on the mountain, and are well within walking distance of the town center. Plan in advance to make sure you can get in.

Fort Eben-Emael[78]: A Belgian WW2 fort no longer in use, but open to the public on certain weekends. Very close to Maastricht, just south across the Belgian border.

Valkenburg aan de Geul: This historic town was beseiged many times and many traces remain to be seen, including Valkenburg castle. Along with tours of the old mines there is also a popular spa and a casino.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!